Rabbitson Crusoe
Rabbitson Crusoe is a 1956 Looney Tunes short directed by Friz Freleng. Title The title and part of the story are a play on Robinson Crusoe. Plot Yosemite Sam narrates that a low tide and high rocks caused his shipwreck on a small island. After the ship's remaining food stores have been used up, the only source of food is from a coconut tree on an adjacent island. Crossing between the islands, however, is always difficult because of a man-eating shark called Dopey Dick. Sam manages to get rid of the shark, who jumps after him on land, only by having a mallet ready on the tree with which to whack the shark back. On his way back to his island, he's chased again by the shark, but this time has a baseball bat ready to whack the shark. Sam mutters that the shark has tried getting him for twenty years, but misses every time. Sam then uses a cookbook, 1000 Ways To Prepare Coconuts, to make a series of coconut dishes specifically, a meal of "tossed coconut salad", "fresh coconut milk", and "New England boiled coconut", but then grows sick of coconuts, banging his head against a tree in frustration. Suddenly he hears Bugs Bunny in the distance, singing the song "Trade Winds". Sam calls out to Bugs, who starts paddling towards the island. A high tide causes Bugs to fall into Sam's arms. Just as Bugs celebrates being on dry land, Sam tosses him in a stewing pot to cook. However, Bugs douses the flame with water from the pot. Sam then has to go back to his ship to get another match. The shark nearly gets Sam on his way to the ship, but Sam distracts the shark with a bone, goes back to the ship retrieving one match, and gets back to land. However, Bugs is not in the pot. When he checks the pot, the shark jumps out and starts eating Sam, but Sam manages to whack the shark with a mallet - soon whacking himself when the shark jumps off. Bugs is on the ship itself, calling out to Sam as "Mister Robinson". "I'll get ya, ya long-eared galoot," Sam bellows, "Shark or no shark!!" First, Sam tries riding a surfboard to the ship, but is almost swallowed by the shark. Next, Sam decides to outsmart both Bugs and the shark by tying a balloon around his waist and floating to the ship. However, Bugs, passing the time by singing a chorus of "Secret Love", is ready for this as well - when Sam floats down to the ship, Bugs opens a hatch that Sam floats into, with the shark waiting for him. Sam then beats the shark back again. Sam catches Bugs again and throws him into the pot, lighting the fire again. However, Bugs tries to point out that a tidal wave is heading for the island. Sam yells, "Shuddup, and start simmerin'!" Before Sam can do anything, the tidal wave sweeps across the island, leaving Bugs safe in his pot, but the island gone. Sam, now being chased by Dopey Dick, swims to the pot, yelling for Bugs to pull him in. Bugs uses a pike pole to start pulling Sam in, but then tells Sam that he'll only keep him up if they make a deal. After a quick "No deal!", Sam eventually relents. The deal is that Bugs will keep Sam on the end of the pole to keep Sam above water, while Sam paddles. Sam looks back and sees the shark behind them and starts paddling faster, eventually going in the direction of San Francisco - which, according to a floating marker, is only 2,736 miles away, with "California, Here I Come" playing in the underscore. Availability * LaserDisc - Wince upon a Time: Foolhardy Fairy Tales and Looney Legends (unrestored transfer) * DVD - Looney Tunes Parodies Collection (restored transfer) Notes * Dopey Dick is a play on Moby Dick. * Bugs also sings "Trade Winds" while lost at sea in "Gorilla My Dreams". Gallery Rabbitson-Crusoe-02.JPG|Yosemite Sam as he appears in this short Water.png Rcrusoe.jpg|Bugs with Sam External Links * Category:Looney Tunes Shorts Category:Bugs Bunny Cartoons Category:Yosemite Sam Cartoons Category:Shorts Category:Cartoons directed by Friz Freleng Category:1956 Category:Cartoons written by Warren Foster Category:Cartoons with music by Milt Franklyn Category:Cartoons with layouts by Hawley Pratt Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Irv Wyner Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown Category:Cartoons produced by Eddie Selzer